. Handbook of nature-study for teachers and parents, based on the Cornell nature-study leaflets. Nature study. Insect Study 593 as long as there is left a leg, and apparently to the very last, never realiz- ing "what is ; But they are not without means of defence; those two httle tubes at the end of the body are not for ornament nor for producing honey-dew for the ants, but for secreting at their tips a globule of waxy substance meant to smear the eyes of the attacking insect. I once saw an aphid perform this act, when confronted by a baby spider; a drop of yellow liquid oozed
. Handbook of nature-study for teachers and parents, based on the Cornell nature-study leaflets. Nature study. Insect Study 593 as long as there is left a leg, and apparently to the very last, never realiz- ing "what is ; But they are not without means of defence; those two httle tubes at the end of the body are not for ornament nor for producing honey-dew for the ants, but for secreting at their tips a globule of waxy substance meant to smear the eyes of the attacking insect. I once saw an aphid perform this act, when confronted by a baby spider; a drop of yellow liquid oozed out of one tube, and the aphid almost stood on its head in order to thrust this offensive globule directly into the face of the spider—the whole performance reminding me of a boy who shakes his clenched fist in his opponent's face and says, "Smell of that!" The spider beat a hasty retreat. A German scientist, Mr. Busgen, discovered that a plant-louse smeared the eyes and jaws of its enemy, the aphis- lion, with this wax which dried as soon as applied. In action it was something like throwing a basin of paste at the head of the attacking party; the aphis-lion thus treated, was obliged to stop and clean itself before it codld go on with its hunt, and the aphid walked off in safety. The aphids surely ^ parasitized aphid enlarged, J,, . ,^. i j_i, j_ showme the door cut by need this protection because they have two ^;j° parasite. fierce enemies, the larvffi of the aphis-lions and of the ladybirds. They are also the victims of parasitic insects; a tiny four-winged "fly" lays an egg within an aphid ; the larva hatching from it feeds upon the inner portions of the aphid, causing it to swell as if afflicted with dropsy. Later the aphid dies, and the interloper with malicious impertinence cuts a neat circular door in the poor aphid's skeleton skin and issues from it a full fledged insect. The aphids are not without their resources to meet the exigencies of their l
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